I bought the hype. Got the Anua Heartleaf Cleansing Oil because TikTok wouldn’t shut up about it. Used it for 30 days straight—no backup cleanser, no cheating.
Here’s the thing nobody tells you: it’s not the balm that changed my skin. It’s the fact that I stopped scrubbing my face raw trying to “feel clean.”
It’s a lightweight oil that turns milky with water. $22 for 200ml—mid-range for K-beauty. The claim? “Pore control” via heartleaf extract. I rolled my eyes, but my clogged chin said try it.
Dissolves SPF in 20 seconds
Sunscreen melts off without that weird residue film.
No eye sting
I rubbed it directly over mascara. Nothing. Not even a tingle.
Rinses completely clean
No oily film. No need to scrub with a second cleanser for three minutes.
Photo: Sonia Roselli / Unsplash
Heartleaf (Houttuynia cordata) is the star—it’s anti-inflammatory, not just pore-minimizing. But the real MVP is the squalane. It moisturizes without breaking you out. The formula has zero essential oils, which is rare for a cleanser that smells this fresh.
- Heartleaf Extract: calms redness within 30 seconds of contact
- Squalane: mimics skin’s natural oils, won’t clog
- Olive Oil Derivative: gentle enough for broken-out skin
- Panthenol: anti-irritant that prevents that tight feeling
Photo: Sonia Roselli / Unsplash
Texture is thin—runs between my fingers if I’m not careful. Smells like fresh-cut grass and nothing else. First week, I hated it. Felt like I wasn’t getting anything off. Then I realized: that’s the point.
Week two, my nose pores started looking… smaller? Not gone, but less like craters. Week three, I got a pimple. Normal one. Healed in two days instead of a week. That’s when I stopped being skeptical.
Blackheads on my nose? Still there, but smaller. The sebaceous filaments on my chin? Almost invisible now. The texture on my cheeks? Smoother, but not glass skin. Real results—not magic.
It’s not a miracle. It’s a damn good oil cleanser that actually respects your barrier—and that’s rarer than TikTok would have you believe.